A typical use of the IPM Toolkit app would be to find a hot agricultural topic while looking at the latest UW specialist’s Twitter posts in the app. For example, you might see an alert about soybean aphid infestation on the rise. Then you could view a video about soybean aphid scouting, or look up soybean aphid management in a publication. You could also search for pictures related to soybean aphids or scouting in the huge online image database the app is connected to. You could create an email that contains pictures or links and share what you have learned with other growers. You can do it all inside this one app using your smartphone and the internet when ever or where ever you might be.
The IPM Toolkit app is available to users for free for Android and Apple smartphones and tablets. This app is produced by the University of Wisconsin’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.
Check out this application for iPhone and iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ipm-toolkit/id504685615?mt=8
Check out this application for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ipcm.tool.kit
Mobile device and internet use is changing how global and local agriculture operate and expand their businesses. Growers in Wisconsin, like the rest of the world, are increasing their use of smartphones and other handheld devices for communication and information management on their farms. A key to agriculture’s continued success is incorporating information from an unbiased science and research-based source such as the University of Wisconsin.
This app allows a user to read timely IPM related news articles, view videos, download publications, and search for pictures to aid in using IPM practices on their agricultural operations.
Features:
- a news reader for the Wisconsin Crop Manager blog and a browser with UWEX specialist Twitter posts
- a video browser with access to the UW IPM YouTube channel containing dozens of short educational clips made by UWEX specialists
- a publication library of IPM materials that have been developed by the UWEX IPM program. The list contains PDF documents and ePub books. All of the files can be saved in iBooks or other compatible apps for offline use.
- a picture search designed to aid in IPM field observations and scouting. The picture database it searches has over 175,000 images available and is hosted by IPMimages.org
The app comes with a “featured collection” of pictures already saved in the “favorites” area where you can save your own favorite searches. When you tap in the search input box, you type in the common or scientific name for a pest of interest to you. You may search using a partial name by typing in at least three letters and tapping “Search” on the keyboard. The app will return a list of suggestions based on your search letters. Tap one of the suggestions to see a list of thumbnail images based on that subject. Tap a thumbnail to see a full screen image. An “HD” button will be active for a higher resolution version of the image. You can copy, save or email images. Tap “Save” to add this collection to your list of saved searches. To view your list of saved searches, tap “cancel” next to the search input to indicate you are finished typing in search words. The featured collection and any searches you saved are now in the list, which you can edit or email.
There are two other free apps for agriculture from UW-Madison here >> https://ipcm.webhosting.cals.wisc.edu/apps
For additional information or answers to questions, contact Roger Schmidt or Bryan Jensen at https://ipcm.webhosting.cals.wisc.edu/contacts